A Little Bit Longer
by theoddpocalypse
Summary: As they realize that finding each other could possibly never happen, Keith and Lance have to come to grips with the feelings they've been hiding deep down, the feelings that they might never be able to reveal to one another.


_Yes, this is named after a Jonas Brothers song. I couldn't think of a title and then that song started playing while I was editing and I started crying and it was all over after that._

* * *

"Shiro, I have something to tell you."

The older Paladin looked down at his companion. Keith wasn't looking back at him. They were both a little worse for wear, on a baren planet they didn't recognize. Black and Red were behind them, sitting over them, protecting them. Shiro had thought he wasn't going to make it honestly, but Keith had helped him and even though he knew they weren't out of the woods yet, he was… mostly confident that they were going to be okay. At least, he really hoped they would be.

He could see Keith's lip trembling, and it made him anxious. It always had, since he'd known Keith. Keith liked to be the strong one, didn't ever really like to show vulnerability if he could help it, and when the signs pointed to him being even slightly weak, Shiro always knew it was something very serious.

"What is it?" he asked the younger Paladin, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Keith took a deep breath. He still wouldn't look up. "I'm in love with Lance."

Shiro's eyes widened. Honestly, he didn't really know what to say. He hadn't really expected that. He knew they were getting along better, but not that much better. "Oh," he whispered.

"I have been for a long time. For way too long, honestly. It started back at the Garrison, back before he even claimed we had any sort of rivalry. And I go along with the whole rivals thing because that's what we've always been to him, but for me… I've always wanted to be with him, even if he's so oblivious he can't see it. When we were saving you, I acted like I couldn't remember him, but I did. How could I forget someone that cocky and obnoxious and stupidly wonderful? And now I might never see him again." Shiro could hear Keith sniffling, could see his shoulders shaking.

They'd already talked about the group, how bad their situation was and how badly they needed to get back to each other. They were all a family now, as well as team Voltron. But they hadn't talked in specifics. Shiro quickly realized that maybe this was why. Keith hadn't wanted to admit his feelings, but he must've seen that if he never said them, they might go completely unheard forever.

"Don't think that way, Keith. You can't. We're all going to get back to each other."

"But what if we do and I still can't tell him? What if we go back to the stupid competitions and me watching him flirt with every conventionally attractive alien we come in contact with? I can't handle that, Shiro, it kills me. It kills me every single time and he's never noticed for a goddamn second."

"The only way you can move forward is if you tell him how you feel, Keith. If you never tell him, he'll never see. How could he?" Keith looked up at Shiro, and Shiro could see that his eyes were red-rimmed and tears were definitely falling from them. He wrapped his arm around Keith's shoulder. Keith sighed and leaned into him.

"He won't feel the same."

"You don't know that. And like I said, you'll never know that unless you talk to him. But for right now, we have to focus on getting back to them. A little bit longer, and you'll be able to tell him, I promise."

Keith nodded.

* * *

Blue had taken a lot of damage when they were ripped through the wormhole and onto some random planet god knows where in the universe. Hunk was working to fix her while Lance stood on the sidelines, leaning against her paw, feeling so many emotions at once he felt like he was going to throw up. Hunk looked up at him, and he could see the sadness in his face. Hunk knew how he felt. He was sick with worry about his fellow Paladins.

"It's gonna be okay, Lance, we'll get back to them. We just gotta get Blue in working order."

"Hunk, can I confess something?"

Hunk raised a brow at his best friend. "Yeah man, of course. What is it?"

"I… I can't stop thinking about Keith."

The yellow Paladin couldn't help the way his eyes went a little wide. That was not what he was expecting to hear from Lance at all. "I'm worried about him too, Lance."

"Not like that. I mean, yes, I'm worried about him, I'm worried about everyone! But when I say I can't stop thinking about Keith, I mean… I think I like Keith. Like… _like_ him. So much."

"You have a crush on Keith?" Lance turned bright red, but he nodded. "When did that happen?"

Lance shrugged. "I don't really know." He bit his lip, looking lost in thought for a moment. "Honestly, I think I've had the crush for a long time, but… remember when we landed on that one planet with the freakishly hot aliens? And that one guy was like flirting so hard with Keith?"

"Oh yeah, Keith got super flustered. It was the first time I'd ever seen him like that."

Lance sighed, remembering how Keith had looked at him, as if he needed Lance's approval for someone to flirt with him. He also remembered how Keith seemed to think better of the action, almost glaring at Lance before he looked back towards the alien, giving him what Lance assumed was Keith's attempt at an easy smile. Lance remembered wanting to punch that alien, go right over and clock him in the face, because who did he think he was flirting with Keith?

It didn't take him long to realize that he was jealous of someone flirting with Keith.

"Whoa, wait a second. You got so irritated that day. I remember you muttering to yourself. Were you-"

"Jealous? Yes. I was. And now we're separated from everyone and I might never see him again and he'll never know, Hunk!"

Hunk looked at him sympathetically. "You can't think like that, Lance. You have to believe that we'll get back to each other. And when we do, you and Keith can become boyfriends or whatever. Just a little bit longer, man," he said, patting Lance's shoulder. Lance nodded and smiled slightly, though he was still scared. Hunk gave him another shoulder pat and went back to work on Blue. Lance looked up at the sky, praying that they would make it home soon.

He just never thought home would take on such a new meaning.

* * *

It took far too long for them all to find each other. At least it felt like it was far too long. But when they find finally come back together, it was literally like they could all finally breathe again, knowing that they were all safe and in one piece. The reunion was filled with hugs and tears inside of the Castle of Lions. They were all holding each other a little bit tighter after everything that happened and the time spent apart.

Keith and Lance didn't approach each other at first, but they kept making eye contact from across the room. Everyone noticed, specifically Shiro and Hunk, but they all knew to let them come together on their own. But it didn't take too long before they found themselves gravitating towards one another, until they were standing face to face. Keith wanted nothing more than to just grab Lance's armor and pull him into a kiss, but he couldn't do that, not yet. They had to talk first. They had a lot to discuss, especially since it seemed they were both on at least a similar page.

Instead, he pulled Lance close, their foreheads pressing together and their eyes shutting. It was a motion they'd done so many times in the past, but this was different. This wasn't after throwing insults at each other. This was something entirely new, something intimate, something for them and only them. They were both shaking, their hands gripped together.

"Later?" Lance breathed. Keith nodded.

They broke apart, acting like nothing ever happened, acting like everyone wasn't staring at them.

"So… congratulatory goo?" Lance asked, grinning.

* * *

Keith made his way to the control room. The castle was quiet, the others all sleeping peacefully in their beds (at least that's what he thought). He stepped inside the room and his eyes immediately spotted Lance, sitting on the floor, staring out the large windows at the stars passing by. Keith approached him slowly, sitting down beside him. Lance shuffled closer, leaning his head against Keith's shoulder. Keith smiled.

"I missed you," he whispered.

"I missed you too," Lance whispered back.

They stared out the window for a while longer in silence, watching space endlessly move by. It felt like it was only the two of them in the entire universe. They weren't even really aware that their hands had come together until their fingers intertwined. They both looked down, blushing as they looked back up at each other. They couldn't help but laugh at the situation. How was it after all this time, this was so easy? It's like… somehow they knew this was supposed to happen. That they would find each other again and the puzzle pieces would just fit together perfectly.

"So… we should probably have that talk now," Keith said.

"What talk might that be?" Lance asked, giving Keith a sly grin. Keith squeezed his hand.

"You can play dumb all you want, but I can't anymore, Lance. It's been too long… I have to stop hiding what I feel. And what I feel… for you." They both blushed at that, but Lance just smiled at him, silently telling him to go on. "Lance, you're so important to me. You're antagonizing and ridiculous, but you're also so smart and kind and-" Keith was cut off by Lance's lips on his, effectively shutting him up. It didn't take long for Keith to melt into the embrace, kissing him back, his free hand moving up to cup Lance's cheek.

"Sorry, normally I would never interrupt someone saying how amazing I am, but I just couldn't stop thinking about kissing you. I had to do it. I've wanted to kiss you for a very long time, Keith," Lance whispered after a few moments, pulling back to look into Keith's eyes.

"You should've done it sooner then."

"I was scared you'd punch me."

"I mean, it's a valid fear."

"But I know what you mean. I was scared of my feelings for a long time. I didn't know what they were. I didn't understand that I was basically using the whole rivalry as a way to get your attention, because that was what I wanted. I wanted you to notice me. I wanted you to see me," Lance explained.

"I see you," Keith responded, looking into Lance's eyes. Words passed between them unspoken. Things that could be said with just a look, things that they knew they would eventually end up saying. For now though, they didn't need to be said. It was clear what they were feeling for each other, and it was finally clear to both of them that they'd wasted a lot of time not letting themselves feel the things they felt. They could've saved so much time if they'd just talked before. Hindsight aside, they knew now, and both of them silently vowed to stop wasting anymore time.

They leaned in again, their lips meeting in the middle and molding together like they'd been kissing each other their entire lives. They didn't notice that the others were there, standing in the doorway and watching them. Even though they all felt the consensus that _yes, this was finally fucking happening_ , none of them wanted to disturb the couple. Pidge had never thought they would get over their obliviousness. Hunk wanted to squeal, he was so excited for his friends. Allura had her hands clasped together, a thousand watt grin on her face. Coran was happy things were finally looking bright again. And Shiro just looked on with a smile, knowing that the two would finally find the happiness in each other that they'd been denying for so long.

Quietly, the group left the area. They would congratulate their friends in the morning. There would be plenty of time for them to let their fellow Paladins know how happy and supportive they were of their relationship. But for tonight, they would leave the boys be and let Keith and Lance enjoy themselves. For tonight, they would let them feel like they were completely alone together in a world all their own for just a little bit longer.


End file.
